The Louisiana Departments of Health, Environmental Quality, and Wildlife and Fisheries today issue a series of updates to six existing fish consumption advisories.
The State has issued precautionary advisories when unacceptable levels of mercury are detected in fish or shellfish.
The Department of Environmental Quality conducts fish sampling and LDH then uses this data to determine the need for additional advisories or to modify existing advisories. Each advisory lists the specific fish, makes consumption recommendations and outlines the geographic boundaries of the affected waterways.
Amite River Drainage Basin
Includes Amite River from the Mississippi State Line to its confluence with Lake Maurepas, Colyell Creek, the Amite River Diversion Canal and the Petite Amite RiverWomen of childbearing age and children less than 7 years of age should consume no more than one meal per month* of bowfin (choupique, grinnel), freshwater drum (gaspergou), largemouth bass and warmouth combined from the advisory area; OR should consume no more than two meals per month of bigmouth buffalo, crappie (sac-au-lait), flathead catfish, redear sunfish and spotted bass combined from the advisory area. Other adults and children 7 years of age and older: no advisory
Bayou Liberty
Includes Bayou Liberty onlyWomen of childbearing age and children less than 7 years of age should not consume black crappie; AND should consume no more than one meal per month of bowfin (choupique, grinnel), flathead catfish, largemouth bass and white crappie combined from the advisory area; OR should consume no more than two meals per month of bluegill, freshwater drum (gaspergou), redear sunfish and white bass combined from the advisory area.Other adults and children 7 years of age and older should consume no more than two meals per month of black crappie; OR no more than three meals per month of flathead catfish.
Blind River
Includes the Blind River onlyWomen of childbearing age and children less than 7 years of age should not consume more than one meal per month of bowfin (choupique, grinnel), largemouth bass and freshwater drum (gaspergou) combined from the advisory area; OR should consume no more than two meals per month of any other species from the advisory area.Other adults and children 7 years of age and older should consume no more than three meals per month of bowfin (choupique, grinnel) from the advisory area.
Tangipahoa River
Includes Tangipahoa River from the Louisiana/Mississippi state line to Lake PonchartrainWomen of childbearing age and children less than 7 years of age should consume no more than one meal per month of bowfin (choupique, grinnel), flathead catfish, freshwater drum (gaspergou), largemouth bass and spotted bass combined from the advisory area; OR should consume no more than two meals per month of all other species combined from the advisory area.Other adults and children 7 years of age and older should consume no more than three meals per month of largemouth bass from the advisory area.
Bogue Falaya and Tchefuncte Rivers
Includes the Bogue Falaya River from its headwaters to its confluence with the Tchefuncte River, and the Tchefuncte River from its headwaters to Lake Ponchartrain. All oxbow lakes associated with these sections of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte Rivers are included in this advisory.Women of childbearing age and children less than 7 years of age should consume no more than one meal per month of black drum, crappie (sac-au-lait), flathead catfish, freshwater drum (gaspergou), largemouth bass and spotted bass combined; OR should consume no more than two meals per month of bigmouth buffalo, bluegill, bowfin (choupique, grinnel) and striped bass combined from the advisory area.Other adults and children 7 years of age and older should consume no more than three meals per month of flathead catfish, freshwater drum (gaspergou), largemouth bass and spotted bass combined from the advisory area.
Tickfaw River Drainage Basin
Includes the Tickfaw River from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line to Lake Maurepas; the Natalbany River, the Blood River, Lizard Creek and Ponchatoula Creek.Women of childbearing age and children less than 7 years of age should consume no more than one meal per month of bigmouth buffalo, bowfin (choupique, grinnel), flathead catfish, freshwater drum (gaspergou), largemouth bass and white crappie combined from the advisory area; OR should consume no more than two meals per month of any other species from the advisory area.Other adults and children 7 years of age and older should consume no more than three meals per month of freshwater drum (gaspergou) and largemouth combined from the advisory area.
* A meal is considered to be half a pound of fish for adults
Because of mercury contamination, there are now fish consumption advisories for 49 waterways in Louisiana and one for the Gulf of Mexico.
Louisiana fish consumption advisories are based on the estimate that the average resident eats four meals of fish per month. Consuming more than this from local water bodies may increase health risks.
Mercury is an element that occurs naturally in the environment. Consequently, there are small amounts of mercury in the sediments of streams, lakes, rivers and oceans. Nearly all fish contain trace amounts of mercury. They absorb mercury as they feed on aquatic organisms. Larger predator fish contain more mercury than smaller fish. It is recommended that smaller fish be consumed instead of larger ones.
People are exposed to low levels of mercury throughout their lives. Eating contaminated fish is one way we are exposed to mercury. Health effects from harmful levels of mercury can include nervous system and kidney damage. Young children and developing fetuses are more sensitive to the toxic effects of mercury. Therefore, consumption advisories are issued at lower fish tissue concentrations for women of childbearing age and children under 7 years of age.
The full text for each advisory is posted online at www.ldh.la.gov/EatSafeFish or by calling toll-free 1-888-293-7020. You may also access the information by downloading the Department of Environmental Quality's new app which is available through Google Play (DEQ Fish Advisories) and the App Store (LA Fish Advisories).
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